Heat transfer unit



y 1938. 1.. w. CHILD 2,122,454

HEAT TRANSFER UNIT Filed Nov. 2, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LHQHLHN W CHILD lU/TA/E s s Eatented July 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATET QFFICE HEAT TRANSFER UNIT Application November 2, 1935, Serial No. 47,965

6 Claims.

This invention relates to heat exchange units, and has for its object to provide as a new article of manufacture, a built-in heater combined in a novel manner with a steel frame window,

and has especially to do with rendering the mechanism of the unit readily accessible.

The invention is illustrated in a unit designed for installation incombination with a window frame, and including a casing beneath the -10 sill, a radiator in said casing, a blower for passing a current of air over said radiator, and intake and discharge openings for allowing circulation of air through said casing.

An important object is to provide an arrangement of this type such that the radiator and -25 nection that for efiicient operation of a forced draft heater (or cooler) of this type, it is desirable that the blower be located directly below the radiator or directly contiguous thereto. The problem of inspection is greatly facilitated by 30 arranging the two so that they can be inspected upon opening movement of the front panel.

Another object is to provide an arrangement wherein a forward insulator wall is mounted upon the hinged panel so as to disclose the radiator 35 upon opening movement of the panel.

A further object is to provide an arrangement wherein the necessary electric controls for the blower such as transformers, switches, etc., are carried between the panel and the front insulator 40 wall in fixed relation to the blower.

The foregoing objects are intimately connected with a general object which is to provide an arrangement of a heater with a window structure such that cold air from a region near the 45 floor of a building may be taken into the heater chamber through an intake opening in the lower region of the casing, thence passed upwardly through a suitable radiator, and thence projected back into the room through a discharge open- 50 ing just beneath the window sill whereby any cold air that may seep into the room between the window sill and its adjacent sash, may descend upon and mix with the horizontally moving stream of heated air projected just below the 58 window sill.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the combination, construction, and arrangement of the various parts thereof, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as more fully set forth in the accompanying 5 specifications, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l. is a front elevation of a window and heater assembly embodying my invention, half 19 of the hinged movable panel being broken away to illustrate the internal construction;

Figure 2 is a vertical central sectional view through the same;

Figure 3 is a similar sectional view showing the 15 hinged panel in a forwardly projecting or open position;

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line ll-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view looking in an opposite direction and taken on the line 55 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view of the hinge connection between the panel and the fixed portion of the casing,

My novel unit is herein illustrated as used with a metal window including a sill 10, an apron II, a sash 52, a side frame member 45, and a heater casing A. The sheet of metal which forms the apron II is bent back beneath itself as at l4 to given an appearance of thickness,

The heater casing A includes a rear or outer wall l3, the sill ill, the apron members H and I4, side frame members 45, the front wall members 46 connected at their lower ends by a horizontel wall member 24, and the end wall members 41. The apron member I4, front wall members 46, and horizontal member 24, form between them an opening 48 into which a novel panel 18 fits.

I provide a rear insulator wall l5 which is installed in spaced relation to the rear casing wall l3 and which at its upper end is formed with a forwardly projected hood l6 terminating in an upwardly projecting flange H. The flange l1 registers with the inturned portion M of the sill and forms a shoulder against which the movable front panel I8 rests at its upper extremity.

The panel I8 is reinforced by frame members including side bars 19 and a lower longitudinal rib 20. Secured to and depending from the rib 50 20 are a pair of hinge fingers 2| (Figure 6) which project through openings 22 in a longitudinal beam 23 reinforcing the upper edge of the forward casing wall member 24. The panel 18 is provided in its lower region with intake louvers 25 and in its upper region with discharge openings 25.

Rigidly secured to the rib 20 are a pair of inwardly projecting arms 21 on which is mounted the base 29 of the blower 29. The blower assembly includes an electric motor 39 which is provided with current through wires 3| connected to suitable control devices 32 mounted upon the panel l8. The control device 32 includes a transformer and a four-way switch, while the motor 30 is a. variable speed unit, controlled by the four-way switch so as to give several varying air currents, adapted to abstract varying amounts of heat from the radiator.

The forward insulator wall 33 is secured, by means of the upper horizontal portion 34, to the panel 18, and at its lower end is extended forwardly as at 35 beneath the control device 22. It will therefore be noted that the control device 32 is positioned between the panel l8 and the forward insulator wall 33 and protected by said wall.

The insulator wall 33 and the insulator wall I! form between them a constricted space in which is snugly received the radiator 36. A steam radiator is shown, although it will be understood that an electrical heating element or radiator, or a. cooling unit, might be employed in its stead. The radiator 36 is hung upon the rear insulator wall l5 and is positioned sufficiently below the hood l6 so that air after passing through the radiator may be deflected forwardly through the discharge openings 26. Connections to the radiator 36 may include vertical steam pipes 31 and 39, a trap 39, a valve 40, and connecting nipples 4| and 42.

The nipples 4i and 42 are preferably extended through the end insulator walls 43 suspended from the hood IS. The end walls 43 serve to close the ends of the constricted space in which the radiator is mounted and project somewhat below the upper extremity of the blower.

In the operation of the device, air is taken by the blower 29 through the louvers 25 and discharged upwardly through the radiator 38 and thence forwardly through the discharge openings 26.

In inspecting the device, the panel I8 is simply pulled forward, hinging around the bottom 23, the blower 29 swinging forwardly from beneath the radiator 36 into the position shown in Figure 3, where it is accessible for inspection. The forward insulator wall 33 moves forwardly with the panel l8 and away from the radiator 36 so that the latter is also accessible for inspection.

The upper edge of the panel I 8 is received below the sill portion l4 and is normally held by the weight of the blower assembly against the shoulder II. The ends of the arms 21 may be arranged to contact the lower edges of the end insulator walls 43 so as to limit the upward movement of the panel l8 to the position shown in Figure 3. Should it be desirable to remove the panel entirely, the lower extremities of the end walls 43 may be forced apart slightly, allowing the arms 21 tow slip between them and by simply lifting upon the panel, the fingers 2| may he slipped out of the openings 22 and the panel removed.

The rear insulator wall l5 prevents heat losses to the outside of the building through the wall i3, and the forward insulator wall 33 prevents undue radiation in the near vicinity of the heater and the'two insulator walls serve to concentrate the heat produced by the radiator for delivery to the air stream passing through the chamber. Thus the most eflicient type of heating is produced. since a much better distribution is secured by the forced circulation of the heated stream of air than by simple radiation or convection.

It is particularly advantageous to arrange the heater directly beneath a window sill so that the heated current of air may absorb and temper any cold air seeping into the room beneath the window sash i2.

While one illustrative embodiment has been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit the scope of the invention to that particular embodiment, or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A casing including inner and outer wall members and forming a heater chamber, said inner wall member having an opening, an insulator wall adjacent and spaced from said outer wall member the upper portion of said insulator well being extended forwardy to provide a defiector hood, a heat exchange device mounted in a fixed position within the casing below said hood and adjacent said insulator wall, a panel hinged to said inner wall member and closing said opening, and a blower carried by said panel and positioned directly below said device when the panel is closed whereby to direct a stream of air upwardly through the radiator to be deflected forwardly by said hood said panel having air inlet means adjacent the blower and air outlet means opposite the deflector hood.

2. A heater comprising a casing one side of which includes a hinged panel, a rear insulator wall adjacent and spaced from the opposite side wall of the casing, a pair of end wall members carried by the casing in a position substantially at right angles to and adjoining said rear insulator wall, a forward insulator wall carried by the panel and forming, when the latter is closed, together with said rear insulator wall and end walls, a constricted space which is open at top and bottom, a heat exchange device mounted in a fixed position relative to the casing within said space, and a blower carried by the panel and positioned to discharge into the lower opening of said space when the panel is closed.

3. In a heater, a casing one'side of which includes a hinged panel, a blower carried by said hinged panel, a forward insulator wall carried by said panel and spaced therefrom, electrical control mechanism carried by the panel behind said forward insulator wall, and a heat exchange device mounted in a fixed position within the casing adjacent the discharge end of said blower when the panel is closed.

4. A heater including a casing one side of which is provided with a hinged panel. a pair of end insulator walls carried by the fixed portion of the casing, a pair of arms rigidly secured to the panel and projecting into the casing, the ends of said arms being adapted to contact the lower extremities of said insulator walls to limit the opening movement of said panel, a blower mounted upon said arms, and a heat exchange device mounted in a fixed position in the casing adjacent the discharge of said blower when the panel is closed.

5. A heater comprising a casing provided with a heat exchange device rigidly secured to one side thereof, and a panel hinged in the opposite side adapted to be opened for access to the interior of the heater and carrying air inlet and outlet means, air circulating means, and control means for the air circulating means, said panel and easing being so arranged that when the panel is closed it completes a reetrlcted air passage containing the heat exchange device.

6. A heater comprising a casmg, a rear in sulator wall located forwardly of the rear wall thereof and projected forwardly at its upper end to form a deflector hood, e heat exchange device secured closely to the insulator wall below said hood, a pair of inner slde walls secured to the insulator wall and the deflector hood lmmedlately adjacent the ends of the heat exchange device and extending a short distance therelcelow, a

front casing well formed with an opening exposlng all the aforementioned structure, a hinged panel adapted to close this opening and having mounted thereon lmmedlately below the heat exchange device (when the panel is closed) a blower, a front insulator wall secured to the panel lmmedleltek; adjacent the heat exchanger so that it ls completely and closely inclosed by a restricted air passage, and air outlet means in the panel opposite the deflector hood.

LACHLAN W. CHILD. 

